Curse

Biostem · Feb 19, 2008, 04:36 AM // 04:36

Quote:

Originally Posted by credit

A basic maturity test would suffice.

Well that's the trick; how exactly do you test for maturity? And how do you make a test that is fair? If someone laughs at the word "boobies", doe sit make them immature? What if the same person knows to keep their composure at a funeral, but may chuckle and laugh in an anatomy class? The problem is, video games by their very nature aren't considered a situation where someone needs to be mature, and that's a problem for some...

Tea Rose · Feb 19, 2008, 06:59 AM // 06:59

lol.... you gotta love kids... they have no clue how much they don't know yet. No matter how well behaved they are, life still has much to teach them. And no matter how old they are, uncivil behavior is still a measure of how ignorant they are.

As an "empty nester" who loves Guild Wars, I think kids should be able to play as soon as they can understand/follow the rules (which means at least 13) and can play safely. But, one of the best things about the game is that I can choose who I want to game with and pretty much isolate myself from the children (both young and old). And since they have the same option, we can all be happy!

Cats · Feb 19, 2008, 08:04 AM // 08:04

Quote:

Originally Posted by Rahja the Thief

8 year olds will never be mature, no matter how mature acting they are. 13 year olds are worse then 8 year olds. They have hormone issues, and think that swearing is the most amazing thing ever. Piss off a 13-15 year old, and watch the foul language on your screen. Maturity is based not just on age, but experience (wisdom).

Then again, experience does not necessarily denote wisdom. You can have two people going through the same exact scenario, but one person faces it calmly and learns what he needs from it while the other plain freaks out and takes nothing constructive with him. Instead, I think it's a combination of several factors - upbringing for example, personality, environment, open-ness of mind, background and such.

There's an 10 year old boy in my guild. Even though he was teased quite a bit by another person which caused him to respond quite fiercely. We had a sit down session with him to teach him how to react positively, and take it all in his stride. He was very receptive, and matured dramatically over a short period of time. Today he's 11, and amazingly well behaved.

On the other hand, we've had to deal with a few 20-40+ year old members who showed a lack of self-control and caused a few problems. And even after being told a few times over the seriousness of the acts and how to respond in a much less negative manner, didn't take to it well at all because they believe they have life all figured out and thus are tightly shut to instructions and suggestions, decide to ragequit.

Categorizing all 8 and 13 year olds in such a sweeping manner would be casting stereotypes, and subject to blind prejudice.

RLBadKarma · Feb 19, 2008, 03:07 PM // 15:07

Ok, I'm 45 years OLD, an IT Professional and have years of gaming behind me. I've played in online leagues in several different games. I have also played D&D since high school. I am also divorced and have many other interests outside of GW.

I started playing GW because a couple of my friends played. I feel that I am a very mature person, mainly because I shoulder a great deal of responsibility at work and interact with very high level executive professionals on a daily basis.

Maturity is a very relative concept. What constitutes maturity to one person may not be the same for another. For me, I construct my opinion of a person by the way they interact with me. Age makes no difference. Anyway, that person my be lying about their age.

I only interact with my guildies running quests and lvl'ing other guildies and when selling and buying. Sometimes I'll answer questions for people, but that is rare anymore since most of the time they are rude and ungrateful.

The main reason I do this, is because I'll be watching the trade channel looking for something and reading the all channel and the things I see there justify my choice not to interact with other people. The putdowns, the insults, the cursing and the general disrespect I see is tremendous. I have no idea how old these folks are and I really don't care. I do my thing and move on. Makes no difference to me.

Therefore, as for the age limitations, I don't care, makes no difference to me.

Spider Pig · Feb 19, 2008, 03:18 PM // 15:18

I don't think there is an age for playing.

The idea of a game is to let people enjoy, so why children and teenagers can't play it?

I am almost 14, And i really love the game and play it a lot. So why does other people that are less mature then me deserve to play the game, and I don't?

I can say that I am more mature from some people in this game.

Chicken of the Seas · Feb 20, 2008, 12:48 AM // 00:48

As many people have said before, its maturity, not age IMO. However I have a younger brother who is 7, and plays some MMOS (well, like Pirates online and Toontown/world whatever...) but I still get nervous for him, because I know what some of the people out there are like (out of experience). I don't want him to be like one of those irritating people who treat MMO's like popularity contests, and who don't have proper game etiquette. I just worry about his influence from the idiots that ruin the game for people...not saying that everyone is like that, but I kinda was when I was younger too

Zahr Dalsk · Feb 20, 2008, 02:27 AM // 02:27

Quote:

Originally Posted by Biostem

Well that's the trick; how exactly do you test for maturity?

You make Ben and I GMs and we'll scour the immature ones out of the game :P

baz777 · Feb 20, 2008, 08:27 AM // 08:27

Maturity and good manners over age anytime!

Uber Mass · Feb 20, 2008, 09:08 AM // 09:08

indeed maturity > age

Vl Vl D · Feb 20, 2008, 09:30 AM // 09:30

17 is the legal age to be in a car crash and join the army to be shot fighting for you muma land in Australia, so if thats the case its ok by me to play with us nerds in guild wars.

JellyBelly · Feb 20, 2008, 02:35 PM // 14:35

Quote:

Originally Posted by roshanabey2

people who don't spend time with their children and play on wow(hypothetical example) instead, so your sterotypical 30+ nerd(or any age, but you can't have a go at a 13 year old for playing obssesively but you can have a go at someone my age), and no I am not saying you should not play this game if you are 30+, just not obssesivly.)

Bugger you, I guess I wasted my money buying this stupid game, that apparently I shouldn't be playing, since recently I read someone saying that WOMEN shouldn't play (I AM of the female persuasion), now 30+ shouldn't play (bugger you again, I AM 30+), and I AM a parent (4 children, aged 10 and under).

<sarcasm> The hell with the kids, they gotta grow up sometime. Its good for them to learn at a young age to cook their own dinner and all that crap. Why should I do it for them? I got better stuff to do, my heroes need leveled, and I gotta get farming all them goodies!! "Hey kids, bring mom a plate when dinners finally done! I can't get up, I'm in a party!! Don't forget to turn the stove off when you're done either!!" </sarcasm>

That said, and no offense meant, (see I can say that too, knowing I'm going to offend someone) I am fairly certain that the idiots constantly drawing penises and boobs on the mini-map are not the 18+ "kids".... more likely its the so-called "mature" teens and pre-teens.......

retro77 · Feb 20, 2008, 02:37 PM // 14:37

21, so that they are at least somewhat mature

Grasping Darkness · Feb 20, 2008, 02:42 PM // 14:42

no matter what age, i kill you all the same

it's more fun i guess to kill older people that try really hard at the game

Avarre · Feb 20, 2008, 02:42 PM // 14:42

Teen and above.

Every player below the age of 13 I've run into has been a complete moron, and thoroughly unsuited to the teamwork dynamics of the game.

Isileo · Feb 20, 2008, 06:34 PM // 18:34

Quote:

Originally Posted by aapo

Puberty has dire consequenses to person's psyche. Yuck.

I'm gonna use that as a new sig line somewhere.

jcrayon · Feb 21, 2008, 05:39 AM // 05:39

Penny Arcade speaks the truth:

http://www.penny-arcade.com/comic/2004/03/19

Dr Strangelove · Feb 21, 2008, 05:50 AM // 05:50

Quote:

Originally Posted by Biostem

Well that's the trick; how exactly do you test for maturity? And how do you make a test that is fair?

Make a normal adult listen to the person for 2 minutes. If the adult doesn't roll his/her eyes, the person is mature.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Biostem

If someone laughs at the word "boobies", doe sit make them immature?

I giggled. Do I have to leave the game?

Quote:

Originally Posted by JellyBelly

Bugger you, I guess I wasted my money buying this stupid game, that apparently I shouldn't be playing, since recently I read someone saying that WOMEN shouldn't play (I AM of the female persuasion), now 30+ shouldn't play (bugger you again, I AM 30+), and I AM a parent (4 children, aged 10 and under).

I read an article a while back that said women were unusually prevalent in most MMOs, to the point of being equal with the guys. I don't know how true that is of Guild Wars, but I've certainly had a huge number of women in my PvE guilds. In fact, every PvE guild I've been in has been led by a woman.

PvP is male-dominated for whatever reason.

Kusandaa · Feb 21, 2008, 03:25 PM // 15:25

Quote:

Originally Posted by Dr Strangelove

Make a normal adult listen to the person for 2 minutes. If the adult doesn't roll his/her eyes, the person is mature.

Keeping my attention for an extended period of time has always been hell for anyone but the following: my husband and my friends. My mind wanders about other stuff, there's always something to distract me, but I'm ADHD and should technically be on meds for it. Doesn't mean I'm immature - just means I have a very short attention span.

And I wonder how such a test could be used on GW... or a variant or something o.o. 'Cause sometimes I picture it being really worth it... anything to have less rage-quitters.

Quote:

I read an article a while back that said women were unusually prevalent in most MMOs, to the point of being equal with the guys. I don't know how true that is of Guild Wars, but I've certainly had a huge number of women in my PvE guilds. In fact, every PvE guild I've been in has been led by a woman.

PvP is male-dominated for whatever reason.

Equal in numbers, I don't know... or maybe I'm still at the point where I assume most are men 'cause I'm a man too. Our alliance has a good number of female players though. 3 guilds were led by women, one desisted, and I'm not sure about another of our guilds.

Maybe I also assume too fast, but men seem to be more competitive than women, although I've met some very competitive women, and men who don't care about it. Depends more of their personalities than gender, IMHO.

BlackSephir · Feb 21, 2008, 04:00 PM // 16:00

Old enough to have IQ of an average human being.

ManiSan · Feb 21, 2008, 06:59 PM // 18:59

I would enjoy this game much more without teens... sry there are many nice youngs i would miss, but much more that do trashtalk and other BS.
Bad elements are able to make an incredible amount of "noise", to the point of totally polluting certain game modes (HA, RA).
At 6h pm, its just impossible to stay in HA if you're a polite person in french district. I suspect french players to be youngers than average. Take a look at them, 14-18 pgm, if GW was only played by teens it wouldnt be the good game it is.